Sign.



3. F. BROADBENT.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28, 1914.

1,143,168, PatentedJune15,1915.

Specioatiion of Letters Patent. Patentgd'eune 15, 1915,

Appiication med August as, 1914. serial 1ro. 859,010.

Toaill 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLESF. BROAD- i BENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Ime rovements in Signs, ofwhich the follow ing isa specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of brilliant signs and has for its objects to provide a sign of this character of iml proved construction.

.In order that the construction and ar-l rangement of the parts comprising the invention may be` readily vcomprehended, I have'illustrated Aan approved embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, and will-now proceed to describe the invention in connection-with said drawings, in whifa- Y t Figure z1 representsa view in frontelevation, of a sign embodying my invention, Fig. 2, a central, vertical sectional view taken'on the plane indicated by the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a view in elevation of the inside of the back plate of the sign, with the brilliant material secured thereon, and Figl 4, a view in elevation, of the inside of the front plate of the sign, with the frame around it.

Like reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur in a plurality of the figures of the drawings.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 indicates a suitable frame, such as an ordinary picture `frame which is rabbeted or grooved on its inner surface as at 11 to receive the main or face plate 12 of my improved sign, the rabbet or groove being of a greater depth than the thickness of the plate 12 so as to provide a space or pocket to receive the back plate 13 and brilliant material 14.

The back rigid member consists of a plate preferably of wood of the same outside dimensions as the :trame 10, said back plate being rabbeted or grooved, around the outer edge of the inside surface, as at 15, so as to leave the inner'portion, 16 of approximately one half the thickness of the plate, of exterior dimensions .which will admit of its fitting into the rabbet or groove 11 of the frame.

The main or face plate is of glass, or some analogous transparent material which will be rendered opaque throughout all .of its extent except those .parts as at 17 which are to be left' transparent to permit of the-'exposure A u of the Abrilliant material therethrough, such spaces being inthe form of letters, figures or the like.

The parts being constructed as described,

vthe brilliant material 14 is secured as hereinafter described, on the entire area of the' inner face .of the portion 16 of the back plate, this portion 16 is passed into the 'pocket of the frame formed by the rabbet, with `the brilliant material lying against the inner face of the main plate 12 as in Fig. l, and showing brilliantly through the clear. or transparent spaces in the form-of letters, figures, symbols, or the like.

In4 the sign constructed as described a great variety of material may be used but after much experiment I have produceda brilliant material for this purpose vwhich I convider far-superior to any other with which am acquainted, and find, after full tests, that this material will g've a very beautiful, brilliant result which will be lasting, without losing its brilliant appearance.

In the manufacture of my brilliant material, glass is coated with mercury after the manner of Christmas tree ornaments and afterward pulverized, or for some purposes broken very fine, or treated to form very thin scales. Isinglass or mica is likewise mechanically treated by being mashed, broken or otherwise formed into scales. rlhis prepared glass and mica, is mixed with tinsel, or in some instances only one or more of the component parts may be used. The inner face of the back plate 13, hereinbefore described, is coated with a clear, transparent glue, brilliant material is evenly sprinkled or otherwise spread, when suitable pressure is applied to cause all of the component parts of the brilliant material to engage with the cement, glue, or varnish so that none of such material will be wasted off in assembling the parts of the sign together.

The front or face plate of the sign being placed in the pocket or rabbet of the frame, the projecting inner portion of the back plate upon which the brilliant material has been mounted, is pressed into the rabbet of the frame with the brilliant material against the rear face of the face plate or glass, the

-Hange which forms the outer edge of the rear portion y of the back plate resting against the back of the trame, covering the cement, or varnish, upon which the v rabbet, and where it may be suitably secured by means of glue, cement, nails, screws, or the like.

In a sign of this character, especially wherein a brilliant material is used which forms a multiplicity of facets, it is decidedly advantageous to secure the brilliant material over the entire area of the backing plate, whereby the glass front plate can be changed at any time to show different symbols, and furthermore, by providing a rigid back member for `supporting the brilliant material, there is no possibility of the brilliant background folding and creasing as would occur should light flexible material be used, such as paper, fabric or the like. Again, in using the character of brilliant material described, the same is susceptible of collecting dust upon the multiplicity of facets, thereforeto obviate this objection, which would seriously destroy the glitter of the sign, the frame and back plate are provided with rabbets which engage each other and form a practically dust-proof closure.

While I have specifically described the construction of the various component parts of my invention, I desire it to be understood that changes and variations may be made therein without departing from the spiritV and scope of the invention as hereinafter tion which covers the rear side of the frame l i which surrounds the rabbet, and a coating of finely divided material forming a brilliant reiiecting surface fixed to and over the entire area of the inner face of said inner portion of the back-plate and in intimate engagement with said front plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 50 in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. BROADBENT.

Witnesses:

E. WAL'roN BnEwrNc'roN, HOWARD D. ADAMS. 

